IU’s Looze named top swimming coach in Big Ten

Looze became the first person in Big Ten history to be named the league’s swimming coach of the year on both the men’s and women’s sides. Looze has now won the Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year honors six times — four on the men’s side and two on the women’s.

He earned the women’s honor last week before taking the men’s selection on Tuesday. The Hoosier men placed ninth at the NCAA Championships with 180.5 points, finishing as the top Big Ten team at the event for the first time since 1978.

At the Big Ten Championships, IU finished second overall with 1,306 points — posting the program’s six consecutive top-three finish at the conference event. IU won 17 medals at the Big Ten Championships and former Bloomington South standout Ian Finnerty was named the league’s rookie of the year after winning gold in the 100 breaststroke and 400 freestyle relay.

On the women’s side, IU was buoyed by the outstanding work of Lilly King. The freshman was a unanimous pick for Big Ten Women’s Swimmer of the Year after recently winning national title in both the 100 breast and 200 breast.

The Hoosiers placed seventh with a total of 228 points at the NCAA’s. The seventh-place finish and 228 points are both the best for the team in NCAA Championship history. IU was also the top Big Ten finisher at the national championships for the second consecutive year.